Shoe-lace fastener.



No. 640,004. l Patented Dec. 26, |899.

. 0 H. LAmaw.

SHOE LACE FASTENER.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1899.)

UNITED STATES HENRY LAREW, OF

SHOE-LACE BUTTE, MONTANA.

FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent N o. 640,004, dated December 26, 1899.

Serial No. 730,319. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LAREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a novel form of shoe-lace fastener; and the object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, convenient, neat, and attractive device of this character.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several elements of the device, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved shoe-lace fastener as it appears in use. Fig'. 2 is a similar View showing the fastener closed, but detached from the shoe. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the fastener opened and in position to be attached to the shoe.

In the drawings the same reference charac-l ters indicate the same parts of the invention.

The device consists of two approximately counterpart jaws l and 2, hinged together at their butt-ends, one jaw being formed with an integral right-angular spring-tongue 3, which engages the forward edge 4. of a recess 5, formed in the opposite jaw, so as to lock the jaws when closed. The meeting faces of the jaws are formed with transverse grooves 6 6, and midway between the grooves is an enlarged semigloloular or hemispherical recess 6. The outer ends of the jaws terminate in iiaring lips 7 7 to conveniently separate them when it is desired to remove the fastener.

In operation the-shoe is laced in the usual manner and a bow-knot formed with the surplus ends of the laces. The jaws of the fastener are first separated and one of the jaws slipped under the bow-knot and the jaws closed, with the knot covered bythe recesses 6 6 and the loops and ends of the laces lying in opposite directions in the grooves 5 5.

It will of course be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, vwhat is claimed, and desired to be secured by Let ters Patent, is

In a shoe-lace fastening, the combination with the jaw l provided with the integral right-angular spring-tongue 3, provided with a transverse groove 6 and a hemispherical recess 6; of the jaw 2 hinged to the butt-end of the jaw 1 and provided with a corresponding transverse groove 6 and a hemispherical recess 6 and a recess 5 the forward edge of fastening is closed upon the bow-knot formed with the surplus ends of the laces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set nesses.

HENRY LAREW. Witnesses:

W. A. PENNINGTON,

DAN YANcEY.

which engages the spring-tongue 3 when the my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 

